True Love
by Avirra
Summary: A continuation of the AU story that started with 'Kissing Frogs'. Happily ever after has run into a snag. Jim/Bones relationship
1. Chapter 1

**True Love**

**Part I : On the Run**

******Happily ever after? Not yet . . .**

James held on tighter as the wagon jolted and the jarring forced a moan from the unconscious Leonard. Up front, he could hear Pavel swearing at the draft horses in his native tongue. Or at least James assumed it was swearing. The tone was right for that.

Once the ride evened out again, Pavel looked behind him to check on his passengers.

"I am so sorry, Your Highness. I am not familiar with this road and with the clouds hiding most of what little light the moon is giving . ."

James interrupted before the young driver could go any further.

"No 'Your Highness' or 'Prince'. Just James and Leonard until we have gotten him out of these accursed hostile lands."

Pavel was silent for a minute, then spoke softly.

"It is not the land that is hostile to you and Pr . . . Leonard. You will find that Leonard is well-loved by most of the people for the same reasons that he is disliked by most of the nobility."

Running his fingers through Leonard's dark hair to soothe him, James frowned.

"Why in Heaven's name would the nobility dislike Leonard?"

Keeping his eyes on what little of the trail was visible, Pavel shrugged his shoulders.

"If they viewed him as an individual, they might not dislike him, but most nobles have a tendency to not look at individuals, but at their politics. Leonard has done a great deal about getting education and health care extended beyond the palace walls - which is viewed as wasteful at best and dangerous at worst."

Frowning, James considered that, then shook his head.

"I do not view education as wasteful myself, but I could see where others might view it so. However as far as health goes? How could that be wasteful or dangerous?"

"You do not look at it from their point of view - for which I am grateful as that validates much of how Leonard seems to feel towards you. The nobility here view an educated commoner as someone who might question their orders instead of following them blindly - and a strong, healthy commoner as one that might decide that they could do better for themselves out from underneath the yokes the nobles have placed on them. I have never been to your kingdom, but I have heard that your Lady Queen treats your people with a more even hand."

"She does. It is her belief that the stronger the individuals residing in the land are, the stronger the kingdom becomes."

"She is wise, your mother, and thinks beyond today."

Another jolt of a wagon wheel elicited another moan from the injured man and the weakness of it sent James' anxiety level skyward.

"I don't know how much more of this that Leonard can take."

"We are almost there and, if she does not turn us away for fear of the King, she will be able to help him."

A chill ran through James at the thought that this long and painful trip might have been for naught. He kept his voice steady as he formed the question he dreaded the answer to.

"Do you believe she will turn us away?"

There was a pause before Pavel answered.

"I do not believe so. She is Leonard's godmother, but she has not been seen in the capital since he was an infant."

James thought that over, then looked at Pavel again.

"Wait - that would mean that you have never laid eyes on the lady yourself? Then how do you know where to find her?"

"I know through my grandmother. Even a woman with healing powers can use a hand when her own time comes to give birth and my grandmother was the midwife at her son's birth. There - up ahead. That light we see should be from her home."

Immediately after Pavel said those words, the horses stopped and reared. James looked forward to see what was wrong and his mouth literally dropped open. There, in the middle of the road directly in front of them, stood a man. No - not a man. Even in the moonlight, he could see the slanted brows and distinctive ears that he had heard about in the fairy tales his nanny had told to him as a child. The mythical sons of Vulcan were apparently more than a myth.

"You must turn your wagon around. You may not enter here."

The man's voice was strong and matter of fact. He spoke very precisely as if the language of the land was not his native tongue. James was speechless at the wonder of the being in front of them, but Pavel was not.

"Please, sir - we must enter to see the Lady Amanda. Her godson is in this wagon and gravely injured."

The voice became, if anything, stiffer.

"My Lady Mother has but one godchild and I doubt he would be traveling in a farmer's wagon. But I will see for myself. You and the other man will leave the wagon. Do not try anything - you are being watched."

Having to leave Leonard alone didn't sit well with James, but having to turn away without getting Leonard the medical aid he so obviously needed was not an option. Reluctantly, James laid Leonard's head down, cushioning it with his hastily removed cloak. Once they were away from the wagon, the man came forward. His eyebrow rose when he both recognized the Crown Prince of the kingdom as well as noted the bruising that covered nearly all visible flesh.

Neither James nor Pavel expected what happened next. Moving as if Leonard weighed no more than a child, the man lifted him up and cradled Leonard in his arms as he began walking further into the clearing. He didn't look back as he spoke.

"You may bring yourselves and your wagon in. Once I have given Leonard to my Lady Mother, I will come back to show you where to stable your horses. Am I correct that you will remain until Leonard can travel again?"

James answered that without hesitation as he and Pavel climbed back aboard the wagon.

"I am not leaving without him."

He couldn't have said what conveyed it, but James felt that the man had been pleased by that response. But as he disappeared into the gloom ahead of them, the words floated back as precisely and unemotionally as ever.

"In that case, we shall have to see to finding a place for the pair of you to sleep as well."


	2. Chapter 2

As promised, the man quickly returned and showed them where they could tend to their horses. Pavel was more than a little surprised that Prince James immediately started to tend to one of the horses himself. He was even more surprised that the Prince seemed to know what he was doing.

The staring didn't go unnoticed and James gave a half-hearted smile.

"Might I guess that the nobles here do not often attend to the needs of their horses?"

Flushing at being caught, Pavel turned his attention a little too intently to a burr in the horse's tail.

"In truth, Prince Leonard is the only nobleman I have ever known that is able to saddle his own steed. He does not consider that a man should call himself a true horseman if he cannot properly get all of the tack onto his own horse without assistance."

A soft chuckle came from James as an old memory came to mind.

"I recall one noble that sought to impress my Lady Mother with his riding prowess. He was unable to even get into the saddle without the assistance of three grooms."

Pavel couldn't help himself and laughed aloud at that mental image.

"Might I gather that he made a large impression, but not of the variety he was seeking?"

"An underestimation, young Pavel. My Lady Mother barely made it out of his sight before succumbing to a most violent fit of laughter."

The pair had just finished washing themselves off after finishing with the grooming and feeding of the horses when a woman entered the barn area. She wore a simple, but becoming gown and moved with a natural elegance that many court ladies fruitlessly strove to attain. James had no doubt in his mind who she was and knelt, bowing his head slightly.

"Lady Amanda."

The woman gave him a small nod, but first turned to her son.

"Spock, please go and watch over Leonard while I speak with our two guests."

It was plain to see that Spock did not care for the thought of leaving his mother alone with the pair, but he bowed his head and obeyed her wishes without argument. Once he was gone, she turned and moved straight to Pavel, smiling as if at an old and dear friend.

"You could only be Pavel. You have your grandmother's eyes."

Pavel's smile back to her was a mix of pleased and shy.

"My grandmother has always spoken of you with great fondness. I am pleased to finally meet you, Lady."

Lady Amanda brushed her hand lightly across Pavel's curls, then turned her head to take a long look at James.

"And you must be the James that my Leonard was asking after. He is quite concerned about your health."

Momentarily speechless, James shook his head slightly as he regained his voice.

"In the condition that he is in, he is worried about me? Please tell me - will he be alright?"

"He could not have held out much longer, but you got him here in time. Leonard has no wounds beyond my ability to heal. As to worrying about you? Love has that effect."

The guilty look that formed on the face of Prince James at her comment puzzled her.

"You do not believe Leonard's feelings are true?"

The blue eyes went wide and James shook his head emphatically.

"I have no doubt about Leonard's feelings. He has proven how strongly he feels. It is because he would not deny me that the King had him confined and beaten. I . . . I would have preferred that Leonard had denied me than be harmed as he was."

A smile that had a chiding edge to it formed on Lady Amanda's face.

"You have a great deal yet to learn about my godson if you think Leonard would have even considered denying something - or someone - he believes in."

James still didn't meet her eyes.

"But - if things don't work out - he's given up everything."

"Ahhh - I see. It isn't Leonard's feelings that you are questioning, but your own. Why is that?"

It took a moment for him to reply, but with a sigh, he finally managed the words.

"I have thought I was in love before and found I was wrong, Lady."

"I recall that Leonard left to attend a wedding in your lands. The wedding was to have been yours?"

"It was."

"You are aware that Leonard was once engaged to a young lady himself?"

"I am. I met the lady."

"Then how can you believe his love for you is sincere?"

"Because Leonard told me the story of how they met. He rescued her and, well, he did not say it exactly that way, but it sounded as if he felt responsible for her. And since the King was pressuring him to find a bride, he thought to solve both of their dilemmas."

Lady Amanda considered his words, then nodded.

"I believe that is a fair assessment of his engagement. What of yours?"

Flushing, James rubbed his hands against his trousers.

"I have never had a shortage of ladies seeking to be at my side. My parents threw a ball in celebration of the anniversary of my birth and Cinderella caught and enflamed my imagination by doing the one thing a maiden had never done. She fled from me. I know now it was the chase that drew me rather than the lady herself and I also know now how immature that impulse was. Leonard was right to give me the nickname of Infant."

"And you called him Bones."

The laughter in Lady Amanda's voice was not mocking, but James flushed again regardless as she continued.

"Yes, Leonard told me all about you when he returned from that visit. The boy with the eyes that were bluer than blue. He was right about your eyes."

She reached out and gently cupped his chin in one hand. It reminded him immediately of how his own mother would reach out and touch him in just such a way when she was about to say something she wanted him to pay close attention to.

"Tomorrow, when Leonard has rested enough to listen, you need to talk to him about how you feel. But for now, you and Pavel must follow me. I have prepared some food for you and a place to rest. We do not eat flesh here, but I trust the cheeses, fruits and vegetables will suffice."

"You have saved Leonard, Lady - you could give me nothing but a spot of ground to lie on and I would be content."

Her laughter spilled out again.

"Our beds may be humble compared to the palace, but I daresay they are more comfortable than the ground. Come."

The room they were led to was clean and comfortable with food laid out in readiness on the table in the room's center. Once they assured Lady Amanda there was nothing more they needed, she left them to return to her patient. The breads and cheeses were a meal in themselves and both men soon had their fill and readied themselves for sleep. Pavel was very quiet and thoughtful until James put out the candle, leaving the room lit only by the moonlight coming through the window. Then he spoke softly.

"I believe it would scare me as well."

James paused in the act of pulling the quilt over himself at that.

"What would scare you?"

"To know that someone loved me so deeply that they would give up all that they had - all that they know - for me."

Settling down and giving the quilt another tug, James nodded slowly.

"It is both highly flattering and highly frightening. What if Leonard wakes one day and realizes I was not worth his sacrifice?"

The silence drew out long enough that James began to suspect Pavel had gone to sleep, but then he spoke again.

"Would you give up for him what he has given up for you?"

"I would like to think I would, but that is too easy to say when I know that I will never be asked to do such a thing. My mother already knows and while she may not have wholeheartedly embraced our relationship, neither did she reject it."

Giving a soft sigh, Pavel settled further down into his own bed.

"I did say before that your Lady Mother is most wise. Sleep if you can, Prince James. As my grandmother always says, the morning is wiser than the night."

Closing his eyes, James thought that sleep was the last thing that he would find, but between exhaustion, relief and a full stomach, sleep found him at last.


	3. Chapter 3

The noise that woke James from his slumber wasn't very loud, so he knew it must be morning and time to rise. He quickly saw that the source of the soft sounds was Pavel, using some straw to coax the embers in the fireplace back to life. When Pavel saw James moving, he was immediately apologetic, but James waved that off immediately.

"Might I hazard a guess that the nobles of this land are not early risers either?"

Pavel gave a small smile at that question.

"There are one or two exceptions, but by and large, their hours tend to be more from midday to midnight rather than from sunrise to sunset."

Shaking his head, James reached for his clothing.

"I have trouble imaging such, but if your people do not mind, it hardly matters."

There was a hesitation as Pavel finally managed to get the straw to blaze. When he spoke again, it was softly as if he were afraid of being overheard.

"The people mind, but they have been biding their time. How much do you know of the history of Atlantus?"

"Very little, I fear. I do not even recall my tutor bringing Atlantus up beyond the current ruling family and its location."

"King David is only the second of his line to wear the crown. His father, King Stephen came to Atlantus under the guise of being an ambassador from the Kingdom of Reman. He was received as an honored guest and roomed in the palace with his entourage. During the night, he and his followers assassinated the whole of the royal family with the exception only of the youngest, Princess Eleanor. Before the nobles of the land even knew anything was amiss, Stephen had crowned himself king and Princess Eleanor had been forced to wed his eldest son, then Prince David - now King David. She has borne him one and only one child, Prince Leonard."

James realized that his mouth had dropped open during the telling of the tale and reclosed it.

"Is this tale the truth? How did the surrounding kingdoms allow it?"

From the doorway, Lady Amanda spoke.

"It is the truth, but what could the surrounding kingdoms do beyond attempt to invade and take over the lands themselves - and none of them had the resources or the will to do such. With only the one exception, all who could claim relation to the royal family were tracked down and executed for the most trivial of reasons. Pavel, I take it that you heard the truth of it from your grandmother?"

"Yes, Lady."

"You know that the King will not be pleased that you have been telling it?"

A slightly sad smile formed on Pavel's face.

"He will already have my head for aiding Prince Leonard's escape from the tower. Why should I fear making him angrier?"

It took James a moment to digest the wording, but then he looked at Pavel.

"You mean that quite literally? He will have you executed for helping me rescue Leonard?"

There was not the slightest hesitation before Pavel nodded.

"I knew that before I agreed to help and I would do the same again. I have already made peace with my fate."

James was immediately on his feet and scowling.

"Well I have not made peace with it and will not. You will come with us to my kingdom. I give you my word that my Lady Mother will welcome you with open arms."

The expression on Pavel's face was a mix of hope and reluctance which puzzled James until the young man spoke.

"But . . . my grandmother . . "

Lady Amanda stepped in, laying her hand in Pavel's curls once more.

"Your grandmother would grieve your death far more than she will knowing that you are alive and well in another land. I will send word to her myself."

It wasn't hard to see the internal struggle playing out on the young man's face, but Pavel finally nodded.

"Yes, you are right, Lady. I will go."

She gave Pavel an encouraging smile, then motioned to James.

"Leonard is awake and asking for you. Come. I will take you to him."

James quickly pulled on his boots and followed in Lady Amanda's wake. He briefly wondered where her son was, but didn't question it as he entered the main house and soon found himself in a well-furnished bedroom. Not that any of the details of the room were noticed beyond the periphery - all his attention was on the figure propped up on pillows in the bed.

All the worries James had about his worthiness were cast aside when Leonard's eyes opened and he smiled as he extended a hand toward him. A small smile played on Lady Amanda's lips as she watched James rush to clasp that hand and bring it to his chest over his heart. Satisfied with that gesture, she withdrew quietly, closing the door behind her to leave the pair alone.

Bruising still discolored most of Leonard's face, but the colors were showing signs of starting to fade and the swelling was far less than it had been just the day before.

"You took an awful risk coming back for me, James."

Lowering his eyes to look at the hand he was holding, James spoke softly.

"There was no way I would leave you there. Not when it was my fault that the King was punishing you."

The snort coming from Leonard drew his eyes back up.

"That is so untrue as to be ridiculous, James. Believe me, if it had not been our love, then it would have been something else. All of my life, I have only managed to do one thing that my sire has approved of and that was being born a male child. No point in dwelling on that though, James. I have been doing some thinking."

"About what, Leonard?"

"About possibly seeing the world as Cinderella and Rapunzel are. Finding my place."

Without knowing he did so, James grasped Leonard's hand tighter.

"I know I am not worthy, Leonard, but you have a place. If you want it."

The slightly confused look on Leonard's face morphed into anger.

"Who has told you that you are not worthy? It is a vile lie."

"I suppose I told it to myself. You could have denied me and gone on with your life."

"And you could have left me in the tower and gone on with yours. If I believe you that I am worthy, will you believe me when I say that you are as well?"

There was a moment of hesitation, but then James nodded. Leonard rewarded that with a smile. Keeping hold of Leonard's hand, James gave a brief glance toward the door.

"Pavel will be coming with us when we leave. He and Lady Amanda are both of the opinion that your - that the King will be unlikely to be merciful about his role in your escape."

"Highly unlikely. I hate that the lad is having to leave his home on my account."

With a sigh, Leonard sank back down onto the bed.

"No offense against my dear mother, but whatever she saw in my sire is beyond my reckoning."

Swallowing hard, it hit James like a stone that Leonard knew nothing of how his mother had been forced into marriage. He kept that thought to himself as he gently released Leonard's hand.

"Rest and heal. We have far to go and the journey cannot begin until you are well again."

The door opened again then and Lady Amanda stepped back in with a cup in her hand.

"It is time for your medication, Leonard. You and James can have your supper together tonight. You should be able to sit up for it by that time."

It was a sign of how injured Leonard still was that he merely nodded before drinking down the contents of the cup. His eyes closed almost immediately and Lady Amanda smoothed the quilts covering her godson before leaving the room with James following behind. James kept silent until they entered the kitchen area of the home.

"Leonard is ignorant of the history that Pavel told me, is he not?"

The sigh was so soft that James nearly missed it.

"That was his mother's wish. She did not wish to create conflict between father and son, though it arose without her interference. Leonard is much like his grandsire - his mother's father, the late King Horatio - in both looks and temperament."

"That must truly gall King David."

"Indeed. He even tried to accuse the Queen of being unfaithful, but as he does not grant her privacy, such would be impossible."

Frowning, James met Lady Amanda's eyes.

"He should know now. The knowledge will not cause further rift than has already occurred."

Motioning for James to take a seat at the table, Lady Amanda sat across from him.

"I gave my word not to tell Leonard. I will not exact the same vow from you, but I ask you to wait until you are back in your kingdom and Leonard is fully healed. King David knows full well that Queen Eleanor is the only reason some of the populace has not already revolted. He will not harm her."

Blue eyes narrowing, James gave a curt nod.

"I will do as you suggest, but know he will return one day for her and he will not return alone."

The smile on Lady Amanda's face didn't match the steely look in her eyes.

"I look forward to that day, Prince James."


End file.
